The Sick Cycle
by TheLoneStar6
Summary: Link's first trip to Snowhead doesn't go quite as plan when he falls ill. As he rests, he and Tatl think about their relationship, among other things. Third story in my "Tales of Termina" series.


Link and Tatl had despaired when they realized that no matter how many times they cleansed the Woodfall Temple and saved the Giant, each play of the Song of Time would undo all that progress made. They had hoped that the Giant itself would remain free, its otherworldly nature being able to overact the time reversals but sadly that was not so. In desperation, Link had tried five times to keep the Giant freed and safe so that he could finally move North as Tatl kept insisting he do. Maybe there was something he was doing wrong each time he ventured into the decrepit Temple and slayed the masked warrior within? He wasn't sure what, however, to do differently. On the fourth attempt, he even tried playing the Song of Healing to the mask in a vain and desperate attempt to keep things fixed. Naturally, it did nothing.

By this time, the Cycles have been repeating for over a month now, due to a few Break Cycles that Link had to take in between excursions to the South. After the fifth attempt, he decided to go back to it later. No progress would ever get made if he kept going to the same Temple over and over again and Tatl had been urging him to go North for a while. "It's about time you did what I told you to do, you worthless freak!" Tatl nastily sneered as Link made his way to North Clock Town. The tension between her and Link hadn't eased up much despite the time that had passed. Tatl's nasty comments were less frequent, yes, but just as harsh as always. She wanted to make it very clear to the Hylian that she still hated him and blamed him for getting her into this mess, despite how illogical her reasonings were. "I could have talked some sense into the Skull Kid if you didn't get us separated!" She had told him once as they resided in the Knife Chamber. "This is all your fault, you disgusting brat!"

Of course, Link let the abuse go without much comment on his part. Her words slowly chipped at his patience, but he was determined to keep his resolve. "What do you know about the Northern part of Termina?" Was all he asked in response to Tatl's harsh words. He had never actually asked her, or anyone else, about what was up there.

Tatl let out a huff of annoyance, seeming actually upset at how little her words got to Link. "It's all mountains up North." She started, easing her hostility off just a little bit to give a proper explanation. "The Gorons thrive in rocky places like that of course. It's too cold for someone like you in the winter, but it's spring now so it should be fine."

Link had remembered when he first saw a Goron in Clock Town. A slow moving creature who by chance happened to also be named Link. He had recalled another Goron named after him, the son of Darunia who only exists in the decayed timeline. Was Link just a normal Goron name then? Must be, at least in Termina. The boy had never even considered where the other Gorons lived, since it clearly wasn't in Clock Town. He and Tatl had been so focused on the Southern Swamp that he didn't even put any thought in the other three compass directions. On top of a Goron, there was a single Zora that Link encountered in Clock Town too. A smaller, less refined version of King Zora named Toto. This meant there was someplace where Zoras could thrive as well, and then one last compass direction that was a complete mystery.

After showing the guard of North Clock Town his sword and given permission to pass, Link glanced up at Tatl. "Is it dangerous? Normally, I mean?" Of course, he expected monsters there, assuming the land to be cursed, just like the Swamp. Even if it wasn't, mountains could be home to very nasty creatures, as he had learned the hard way back in Hyrule.

"You're pretty stupid, aren't you?" Tatl rhetorically asked as the two crossed the threshold between the town and Termina Field. "You think the guards are here for show? That only the South has monsters?"

"I want to know exactly what I'm dealing with." Link explained further. The two emerged into Termina Field once more, now facing the towering mountains they would have to scale. The Northern part of it was very…white. The mountains themselves the color of old chalk, overlooking a stretch of white stone landscape. There were even what looked like giant, pale, petrified mushrooms dotting the mountain's base.

"You know, Tektites and Wolfos. Mountain-dwelling creatures! This is pretty obvious stuff here!" Tatl chided as she flew on ahead. "And look down there!" She called, peering over the wall to the land below.

Link walked over to the wall and looked down as well. At the base of the mushroom-like rocks, a sight that made his blood run cold for a second, was a small herd of Dodongos milling about. He hadn't faced these since he was ten, and those memories were far from pleasant. Thankfully, they were all in the stage before their hind legs grew in, so dealing with them wouldn't be too much of an issue. The bad news was several of them blocked his path. He couldn't just sprint past them and hope for the best. "Dodongos." He murmured, making his way down a nearby ramp.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Tatl called out, following Link. "You know what those are? Aren't you scared?!" She kind of hoped he would be a little bit frightened. Of course, not enough where he'd refuse to go forward.

What Tatl didn't know was that Link _was_ scared, very much so. But what was he going to do? Turn around and give up? He simply kept the fear hidden behind his mask. "I have bombs. I'll take care of them." He had bought a Bomb Bag during his first Break Cycle and filled it up each time he went out of Clock Town. Bombs had been so useful on his last adventure, and while he hadn't used them in Woodfall, it turned out his intuition finally paid off here. He remembered Tatl scolding him for wasting Rupees on them each time he went South, but he couldn't ever be too careful. Besides, he had discovered some sort of hidden cache with a Silver Rupee in East Clock Town, so cost wasn't a problem.

"You've done this before?!" Tatl asked, hovering by Link's ear, half-yelling her questions right into his eardrum. She supposed she shouldn't be too surprised. It was clear he had been in many combative situations before, given his clearing of the Woodfall Temple, but just how varied were his skills? Link didn't even acknowledge her words. "Hey! Answer me!"

Reaching the bottom of the ramp, Link put a finger to his lips. "They'll hear you." He glanced at the nearest Dodongo, which hadn't noticed the duo yet. Thankfully, Tatl took the hint and kept her mouth shut. Taking out a bomb, he snuck closer to one of the Dodongos that had strayed from the rest of the pack. Picking up a small rock from the ground, he beamed it at the creature, the projectile harmlessly bouncing off of its head. The lizard snorted and its beady eyes rested on Link. Giving off another, angrier snort, it approached the boy and opened its maw, a loud inhaling signaling its intentions.

In a flash, Link throw the bomb right in front of the beast and ran behind one of the petrified mushrooms, Tatl hiding under his hat. The lizard unleashed its flame, blowing the bomb up right in its face and blinded it. One bomb wasn't enough to kill a Dodongo of this size, but it was enough to make it roar in pain. This attracted the attention of the other members of the pack, which went to investigate the noise and, more importantly, opened a path to the mountains.

Taking this chance, Link sprinted past the creatures as they gathered around their wounded comrade. By the time any of them noticed the boy, he was out of reach. "How did you know that would work?!" Tatl asked as she peered out of Link's hat, the two of them now at the top of the ramp leading to the mountains and in the clear of the Dodongos' wrath.

"I didn't." Link answered honestly. He sure was hoping it would, but there wasn't any guarantee the other Dodongos would investigate the wounds of another. To that, Tatl had no response. The Hylian suddenly realized it was pretty cold up where he was and let out a small shiver. Ignoring it, he ventured into the path leading to the mountains but soon stopped in his tracks. "I thought it was spring." He said to his companion.

Before the two was a literal wall of ice, one that stretched a dozen feet tall. Above it was a large chunk of ice hanging from the path's wall. Tatl flew out of Link's hat, staring in awe at the ice. "What?! But it _is_ spring!" She let out an angry chime. "It's the Skull Kid, it has to be! He must have made it colder here somehow!"

"Move." Link said, taking out his bow and taking a few steps back himself.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Tatl demanded, but heeded Link's advice and flew behind him. She watched as he unleashed a stream of arrows at the hanging chunk of ice until it broke loose from the wall and crashed down onto the wall. Both the chuck and the blockade shattered into a scattered mess about the ground of the mountain path. "I guess that works…" She murmured. The fairy let out a shiver as biting cold winds reached out from further up the path, the ice having impeded its progress. "Hey, you gonna be okay with all this cold?" The fairy asked Link condescendingly.

"I should be." Link responded, moving forward without hesitation. What choice did he have? He'd simply have to try and move fast along the mountain and free the Giant there. He hadn't seen any kind of winter clothing in the various shops of Clock Town, so for now his usual outfit would have to suffice.

Tatl halted Link's progress by flying right in front of his face. "What do you mean _should_ be? You'll be either okay or you won't!" She chimed loudly. "Have you ever been in a place this cold before?!"

Link had, in fact. The Ice Cavern was about as cold as the winds he was feeling now. Looking past Tatl, he could see snow forming on the ground. "Yes." He moved past the fairy and peered around a corner, seeing as the mountain path sloped upward, the snow falling at a steady pace from this point forward and large piles of snow forming along the way.

"Hey, don't just leave me hanging!" Tatl yelled, once more blocking Link's path. "Were you born on a mountain or something? What's the deal?!" She paused as he gave her a blank stare. "Though I guess with your manners, you were more likely raised in a barn…"

"It doesn't matter." Link answered, once more moving around his fairy companion and kept moving. So far no Tektites or Wolfos, but of course the trek up the mountain was just starting. He wondered if Tektites could survive temperatures like this. "How tall is this mountain? Or at least, how far up do the Gorons live?" He'd need to get information from them about the mountain and the trapped Giant.

"How should I know?! I've only heard some basic things, that's all! You think I go around mountains and Gorons all day?" Tatl responded with a huff.

Link sometimes felt the urge to snap back at Tatl, just once. Each individual comment was tolerable, save one or two, it was just that it was how relentless she was. No matter how valid of a question Link asked, it was somehow the wrong one to ask in her eyes. He knew a part of it was just to get under his skin, but he would imagine she'd put her hatred aside for serious questions and situations. Still, he had to hold his feelings in and not start a fight if possible. It'd be a waste of time and energy. Though, of course, it's not quite possible to waste time given infinite time loops. "I see. Help me keep a lookout for them, then."

"Don't give me orders!" Tatl shot back instantly, letting out an annoyed noise when Link ignored her and kept going, but followed silently. It frustrated her to no end when her comments failed to get any visible reaction from her companion, one she never even asked for or wanted. There was no way he wasn't getting at least a little annoyed…right? She just wanted him to…well…when she stopped to think, she didn't really realize _what_ she wanted. At first she genuinely, truly loathed Link. She blamed him for the separation of her and her brother, along with the Skull Kid. At that point she truly believed that, after hearing some of the mischief that the Skull Kid had gotten into, that she could have talked him into fixing things if she had stuck with him. Of course, as the Cycles passed, she slowly realized how foolish that was. This was no longer the Skull Kid they were truly dealing with but instead that cursed mask he wore on his face.

Tatl wanted to keep hating Link, but she couldn't keep blaming him for something that wasn't his fault, she knew that deep down. Yet her stubborn nature refused to let the hatred go, even though she realized how misplaced it was. Not to mention, Link never said anything negative towards her. He never insulted her back, yelled at her, or anything of the sort. In fact, she remembered how a Keese tried to eat her the second time they went South, and how Link sliced it in half before it could get her. At the time, the fairy yelled at him for not being faster to save her, and now she inwardly winced as she replayed the memory. Stubbornness or not, he went out of his way to directly save her life, and she still treated him so poorly. As illogical as it was, she wasn't able to stop her anger or still her tongue where Link was involved. Tatl was used to keeping her guard up and pushing anyone that wasn't Tael or the Skull Kid away from her, but now…

An explosion took Tatl out of her thoughts.

The fairy let out a scream as she looked around and saw chunks of snow spray everywhere, one the size of a fist barely missing her. She looked and saw Link with his Bomb Bag out along with his flint and steel. Tatl then saw large boulders of surprisingly compact snow further up the trail, blocking the way. So, he was using bombs to blow them up, huh? Wait, who cared about that?! Tatl's light grew red and she flew right in Link's face, as she always did when she _really_ wanted him to hear her out. "Hey! Don't go throwing bombs around without warning me, you stupid loner freak!"

The first time Tatl called Link a loner freak, it got to him a bit and the words stung, but at this point she used the same insult multiple times and it just lost its effectiveness. The boy tilted his head to the side ever-so-slightly in confusion. "I did warn you." Indeed, before Link even lit the bomb up, he told Tatl he'd have to blow up the snow mounds.

Thankfully, Link wasn't able to see Tatl flush in embarrassment given all the light her body gave off. She had just been so deep in thought that she didn't hear him, she supposed. "Oh. Well. Just warn me louder next time. Okay?" She told him, trying to keep her embarrassment out of her voice as her light returned to normal. Link gave a silent nod at that. One thing Tatl noticed was she could see his breath as he spoke. It was only then she realized just how cold it was getting already. "Hey, are you sure you're gonna be okay? It's only going to get colder, you know." She felt herself shivering already and was about ready to dive under Link's hat.

"I'll be fine." Link answered, turning and marching forward. At least, that's what he thought. Three days at the very maximum in bitter cold. He could handle that, couldn't he? It wouldn't even be that long. The Gorons would surely have nice, warm homes for him to stay in, so he would just have to grit his teeth and endure until he came across a cave or whatever types of buildings the Termina Gorons lived in. If they were even half as kind as the Gorons in Hyrule, any one of them would shelter Link without a second thought.

"Fine, but don't go and complain about being cold, then!" Tatl demanded, flying under her partners hat where it was warm. At least, it was warmer than the open air.

Not bothering to make a reply, Link kept going.

The hours passed, and progress was slow. The temperature and wind got increasingly worse as Link climbed the mountain. His entire body was quaking and shivering with each step he made, and the barrage of snow made it hard for him to see. He had hoped Tatl would keep a lookout for danger as he traveled, but she stayed silent underneath his headwear. Despite all the nastiness she tossed his way, Link couldn't bring himself to hate Tatl, or even dislike her. He knew, or at least had a strong feeling that she was simply scared and angry, like the Dekus in the South. She was in a terrible situation with someone she didn't like, so she took out her anger on the only target she had: Him.

That wasn't to say that Link saw Tatl as a friend either. In fact, he desperately wanted to dislike Tatl, to feel nothing at all when the two inevitably separated when…if…this quest was over. He couldn't have chats with her, couldn't share his background with her, not even to pass the time. If he did, he feared he'd start to grow attached to her. He had been surprised when Tatl opened up on her own, telling Link about when Tael and her first met the Skull Kid. He truly, truly wish she had kept her mouth shut. Her story made him see her not just as a yelling ball of light that hid under his hat, but as someone that needed someone else to help them out. He hated thinking that. He hated thinking of her as a potential friend. Link would give anything to just despise Tatl and leave it at that.

If only it was that simple.

The sun was starting to go down and Link was starting to worry. The climb itself had been mostly safe, the cold aside. The boy had heard Wolfos howling along with the wind, but he had yet to actually see any. A few Tektites stood in his path, which he dispatched without too much issue. The problem was that there had yet to be any signs of Gorons at all! In fact, no signs of anyone inhabiting this mountain had made themselves known to Link so far. What if the Gorons were more than three days away? What if this was where the quest ended? It certainly hadn't helped that Tatl remained under his hat this entire time; she didn't so much as pipe up since she dove in earlier. He knew she was still in there because he could feel her wings flutter every so often.

The worst part was that Link was being followed by something. It felt that way, at least. There were times where he would see something on a mountain wall, a wriggling black and undefinable mass. Yet, each time he looked, there would be nothing there. No way for anything to hide, like a cave or crevice, and nothing could be fast enough to escape somewhere else before he turned his head. He had seen this entity several times, but never got a good look. He was starting to wonder if the mountain air was somehow causing him to hallucinate. Was such a thing possible? Surely not…

Unfortunately, the only other explanation was that Link was going mad. Madness seemed to seep into this world, at least the parts he had been to. A town full of people that deny that the Moon that inched closer, a Swamp of poison and corruption that drove the kingdom residing there into an insane fury. Now a frozen mountain in the spring crawling with arguably existing horrors. Perhaps it was the wind itself that carried the madness down to the Hylian, as a spring breeze carries pollen. Or perhaps he had been mad since before he stepped into Termina, and only now was it getting to him.

Link's disturbing, puzzling thoughts were interrupted as a strange bellowing sound rang out from behind him. He whipped around, sword drawn, to view something unlike he had witnessed before. A vaguely humanoid silhouette had seemingly melted into the mountain wall, like a shadow without a corresponding body. In horror, Link was only able to stare at the bizarre creature that showed itself to him. That echoing, bellowing noise went through the air again, rising above the mountain winds. An appendage snaked from the silhouette, crawling along the wall and then onto the snowy ground, beelining towards Link.

The boy's legs were pumping before he could consciously demand them to. Somewhere to hide, anywhere at all would be welcome over whatever entity had set its sights on him. The idea of playing the Song of Time didn't even enter his mind, and he wouldn't have been willing to stop running to play it either way. What was Tatl doing?! Did she not hear what was happening?!

Tatl and her lack of action was forgotten when Link spotted a black hole in the expanse of white before him: A cave! Without any other choice, Link made a dash to the opening and nearly dove in. Instantly, he whipped around, drawing his bow and readied to fire at…nothing. Nothing was there. No bellowing, no shadow, no tendril making its way towards him. All that was there was the howling of the wind and the infinite snow. That was impossible. It was right behind him! He could feel it bearing down on him, where was it?!

Feeling suddenly drained, Link dropped his bow and arrow to the cave floor and leaned against the nearest wall, panting heavily and shivering almost violently. He was going insane. That was the only thing that made sense. There was no shadow monster, it was simply in his head…right? Link couldn't say for sure, but what else made sense? The creature simply gave up because Link went into a cave? He couldn't lose his grip on reality, not now! There was still so much to do, two entire compass directions left entirely unexplored by the Hylian!

His thoughts turned to something that had itched at his mind for two years now. Since Navi left, Link felt as though a part of him had been ripped from his body. The missing part of him then started to grow, a near unstoppable void that ate and chipped away at Link from the inside and would one day erase him unless Navi was found. It was something he had kept to himself, for he feared that his friends would think him mad. He knew he was sane, but what if no one else thought so?

A scuttering sound interrupted Link's stream of consciousness. Instantly the discarded bow and arrow were back in his hands and ready to fire. From deeper in the cave, a lone Tektite stirred, making its way to Link with a gleam in its ruby eye. Was it hiding from the cold in here? Or from some unspeakable horror? All Link knew was that another sort of emptiness was bothering him now. As an audible grumble rose from the boy's body, he let the arrow fly…

Tatl awoke with a yawn and a joint-cracking stretch. She hadn't even meant to fall asleep, but Link's hair was just so surprisingly comfortable! It took her a moment to realize that Link wasn't moving beneath her. Not only that, the wind and cold had gone too. Finally, she kept hearing a strange, tearing sort of noise. Deciding to investigate, Tatl peeked out from her companion's hat to find the two of them were in a cave. The sun was just about to set, leaving Tatl herself to be one of the main sources of light.

Link was seated against the wall, and the tearing sound that Tatl kept hearing was him eating. In his hands he held a large chunk of…something she couldn't quite make out. Either way, the boy tore off a big piece of it with his teeth and wolfed it down. "What's going on? How long was I out?" Tatl asked as she took to the air, dangling herself in front of Link. "What the heck are you eating, anyway?"

Gesturing to the remains of the antagonistic bug, Link chose only to answer the last question. "Tektite." He tore off a bit of the chunk he was holding, this smaller piece being about the size of Tatl herself. "Here." Link offered, holding it up to the fairy. He managed to keep his voice level and his face neutral. Internally, he was still panicking over what happened outside. The fact he got to focus on eating a bit helped calm him enough to suppress his true feelings.

Tatl made a disgusted noise and flew a bit away from the offered food. "Not a chance! Are those things even edible?!"

Popping the smaller portion in his mouth and quickly downing it, Link nodded. "Of course. Cooked or raw." Kakariko Village introduced Link to the taste of Tektite over a year ago. It surprised him how tasty it was. Of course, it tasted better cooked but that was hardly an option now. "No fire to cook it though."

Ignoring the revolting meal before her, Tatl gestured to Link's bag. "No dry wood out in that snow, how about we burn some of those useless masks of yours?"

"No." He didn't know if Tatl was serious, but Link would rather go back in time and bring firewood from elsewhere in Termina before even considering burning a mask. Even the Mask of Scents didn't deserve to be burned. "We'll have to sleep without fire."

That raised a few alarms within Tatl. Fairies weren't quite as sensitive to the cold as humans were, so she'd be fine. Link, on the other hand, was at risk. "You'll be too cold! What am I going to do if you freeze to death?!"

"I won't freeze to death." Link assured, devouring the last bit of Tektite. With that, he got up and moved to the far side of the cave, as far from the entrance as he could get. It was a rather small abode which was both good and bad. Good news was there were no small pockets or crevices for danger to be hiding in. Bad news was he couldn't get very far from the cave's entrance. To Link, going to find better shelter wasn't an option. Just the idea of going back outside filled him with dread.

Tatl let out a groan as her overly-confident companion sat down against the far wall. She flew over to him and her natural light showed his goosebumps and light shivering. "Your stubbornness is so annoying, you know that?"

Link chose not to respond to the question. He realized how woefully unprepared he was, not even a blanket to keep him warm, though he had no idea that winter would be here. Link was so desperate to make more progress on his quest; he chose to soldier on instead of going back to Clock Town when he had the chance. He could only hope that he could find some kind of settlement tomorrow. "Come here." Link called, patting his chest.

The fairy could only stare at the object of her, though admittedly not really justified, hatred as he patted his tunic. "What? Why?"

"Body heat. We have to stay huddled." If Link had his way, Tatl would just sleep under his hat like always, but this was a desperate situation. "Fairies are warm." He recalled a few times where Navi would use her natural heat to help him sleep through some of the colder nights in Hyrule Field.

"You've got to be joking!" Tatl chimed, almost giving off red light in anger. "Why would I do that?! You just said you won't freeze!"

"Yes. If you'll come here." Link pat his chest once more to emphasis his point.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Tatl relented and made her way over to Link. "Fine. If only because you'll probably die if I don't. Then who will stop the Moon?" With that, she rested herself on Link's chest. Not as good as his hair, but at least the tunic was still soft. "Just this once. Okay?"

"Mmm." Link agreed. There was a pause for a few moments. "Tatl, did you hear anything unusual outside?" His mind couldn't help but wander to that shadowy entity that tried to grab him.

"What now? I have no idea what you're talking about. Just go to sleep!" The fairy huffed. "This is bad enough already without you talking!"

Withholding a sigh, Link let the subject go. That noise the creature made was even louder than the wind. How could she not have heard it? Maybe…it really was all in his mind after all. "Fine. Good night."

Link was the first to fall asleep, his exhaustion overriding his unease, with Tatl not far behind. Before she fell asleep though, she swore she heard an odd bellowing noise outside. Who knew what that was? Mountains could generate all sorts of strange noises with all that wind…

Tatl knew something was wrong right as she woke up. Her entire body shook, but it wasn't her that was shaking. Looking up, she saw that Link was gently holding her close to him and shivering violently. In this area that wasn't unusual, but his body's quakes were much worse than last night, and with the sunlight pouring in, it was much warmer than it was hours ago. That wasn't all, of course. She saw that his eyes were barely open, and his face was horribly flushed.

"Link!" Tatl cried out, startled and flying out of the boy's weak grip. "Hey, can you hear me? Say something! You look terrible!"

Felt terrible as well. His entire body was heated and sore from his head to his muscles and he couldn't keep himself from shaking. And he was thirsty. So, so thirsty. It felt as if he hadn't had a sip of water for weeks and it made everything so much worse. On top of that, Tatl's yelling was like hammering on his skull. "Loud…" He murmured, unable to raise his voice above a harsh whisper.

"Oh, uh…right." Tatl said, lowering the volume of her voice. It felt weird to accommodate for Link like this. Normally she'd talk even louder just to torment him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "Listen, you're really sick, probably from that nasty bug you ate." Though who could say for sure? Not Tatl, she wasn't exactly a doctor. "We got to get back to Clock Town. Play your Ocarina."

Slowly, Link shook his head, then winced as a minor dizzy spell hit him. "Keep going." He whispered, struggling to stand.

"Uh-uh! No way!" Tatl belted out, already forgetting to keep quiet. She flew up in his face, trying to get him to sit down even if it made his headache worse. "Sit! You're in no condition to climb a mountain, are you nuts?!"

Wincing, Link did as told and sat back down on the floor. Slightly delirious, Link felt he could still go on. He could get through the mountain if he really pushed himself. Surely the Gorons were just around the bend. "The Gorons, Tatl…" He mumbled, trailing off to something else the fairy couldn't make out.

"The Gorons can wait." Tatl responded, quieting down again. "Play the Song of Time. We can try again later. There's always more time." A part of her feel strange, almost nauseous, at being so nice to Link. Yet, another part of her couldn't help but see a shivering, cold child as…

"Fine." Link croaked, shakily holding up his Ocarina. He knew Tatl was right, deep down. Truly he wanted to keep going, to try and tough it out, but he realized that if he tried, he'd probably die. It took a minute to pull off, but Link played the Song of Time, the notes echoing through the maddening winds of the mountain as the clock flew backwards.

The next chunk of time was a blur to Link. He remembered following Tatl's guiding light through South Clock Town and towards the East. A number of citizens gave the stumbling, sickly boy concerned looks as he went. A few even tried asking him what was wrong, but Tatl piped up to leave him alone, and the people backed off. Link soon found himself in front of the Stock Pot Inn, helplessly knocking on the door, leaning on it for support for his quaking legs. In his sickness, he forgot it wouldn't open for another two hours.

Thankfully, Tatl remembered when the inn opened, and she rushed in through the keyhole. Link could hear muffled yelling from a tiny, but very strong, pair of lungs as his fairy companion talked Anju into opening the door. Unfortunately, he was using that door to stand up and as Anju opened it, Link collapsed onto the dirty street. It was at this point that his world went black.

"I think he's waking up…" Link heard Tatl say as his eyes creaked open. Instantly he felt his head throb worse than ever and he closed them back up again for a few moments. With a wince, he tried again and saw the ceiling of the ever-familiar Knife Chamber. Looking about, Link saw he was lying in his usual bed, and Anju was sitting at its foot. "There, his eyes are open!" Tatl's voice rang out again. It took the Hylian a second to realize she was standing on Anju's shoulder.

Before Link could respond or really do anything, Anju spoke up, speaking softly. "Are you okay, Link? That was quite a nasty fall you took."

Tatl flew up off of Anju, hovering in front of Link's face. "I explained it all to Anju, even our reservation. You're welcome!" She said the last two words haughtily as she landed on Link's chest. "You were in bad shape, lucky that Anju knew what to do!"

Link finally started to get more of his bearings and realized some more things. One was that the throbbing aches in his muscles persisted like with his head. Another was that his head wasn't quite so heated as before, as there was a damp towel folded onto his forehead, soothing him slightly. His hat laid on the room's table, along with the rest of his things sans his clothes.

The boy's gaze finally rested on Anju, who had kindly helped him in his time of need. A part of him hated how nice she was being, how she placed him in bed and started to aid him against his fever. He didn't want to like Anju. He wanted to be indifferent to her, to see her as just the inn owner with a missing fiancé. Of course, deep down Link knew he would have to find Kafei one of these Cycles. He couldn't just let the situation go so easily. Swallowing his frustrations, Link kept a level voice as he spoke to Anju. "I'm doing better. Thank you, Anju."

The innkeeper smiled at the boy, though her eyes told an entirely different story. One of stress and a severe lack of sleep. Still, the brave face she was putting on was admirable. "It seems the fever isn't too terribly severe. A few days and you should be right as rain."

The Moon would kill everyone before then, and she knew it. In a way, Link felt frustrated further at how boldly she lied to his face, despite her good intentions. The fact that so many people in Clock Town refused to see the truth that was quite literally hanging over their heads infuriated him. Stubborn as he was, the citizens of the town had him beat. At least most of them got the hint on the third day and evacuated, as much good as that would do. To him, Anju was saying he was too stupid to realize the danger of the Moon, or perhaps she could convince him otherwise. He knew that wasn't the case, but he couldn't stop thinking that way.

Swallowing his frustrations, Link nodded silently. Tatl, for whatever reason, took this as her cue to pipe up. "Right! So, Anju said to rest a bunch and drink a lot, think you can handle that?" She gestured to some bottles of water laid right next to the bed. Link made a half-committed grunt of agreement. "Good!"

"I'll leave you to rest." Anju stated, standing up. "It's a shame you have to get sick before the Carnival of Time. I'll make you some soup, maybe you'll get better before the festivities start." Without waiting for a reply, the innkeeper left Tatl and Link alone.

"She sure is committed to her guests…" Tatl mused aloud. "Shame she can't cook though, thankfully _I_ don't have to eat any!" She taunted to Link; all her sensitivities found in the cave were apparently left behind, not even bothering to keep her voice down.

Even with his earlier frustrations, Link couldn't help but admire Anju's dedication. Despite all she was going through, she still took time to aid a sick and troublesome guest. That is, someone she _thought_ was a proper guest. He could tell she was still filled to the brim with stress, her mind most definitely clouded with thoughts of Kafei. Still, Link wanted to see her as just an innkeeper and nothing more.

"Her cooking is good." Link half-whispered in response. He recalled how Tatl audibly gagged when she first tried Anju's food, thankfully the wife-to-be had already left the room. Link, on the other hand, found it enjoyable. Not amazing, but decent. Of course, he had never tried a food and not liked it to some capacity.

"Not all of us can have golden taste buds." Tatl argued with a bit of a wince. "Just another reason why you're a freak, I guess."

There it was. Link was wondering how long a proper insult would take to come out of Tatl's mouth. Tatl had been, at least for her, quite kind since he woke up with the fever. He had kept expecting her to, any second, scold and yell at him for getting sick, for accomplishing absolutely nothing and delaying their quest even further. Yet…nothing of the sort. At least so far. In a way, Link wanted her to go back to her cruel nature. It made it easier to dismiss her as just someone he had to stick with until the quest was over. For now, he had only one method of escape. "Going to rest. Wake me when Anju gets back." He mumbled, closing his eyes.

Tatl mumbled something about not taking orders but left it at that. With nothing else to do, she flew up and about the room, pondering to herself. The fairy felt that she should be angry with Link for getting sick, had this occurred a few Cycles ago she knew she'd be chewing him out right now. The thought of actually doing it, however, made her feel sick to her stomach. Link had never been in quite a state like this where he was so weakened. He had been injured in battle, of course, but nothing that was so serious he was bedridden. The most immobile he had been was due to a sprained ankle. Seeing the boy like this made Tatl throw all ideas of direct insults out the window, she just couldn't bring herself to be that cruel.

There was also the other part of it. As much as Tatl didn't want to admit it…she was growing attached to Link. He and her never really conversed unless it was pure business. Yet despite all the grief she gave him, Link never returned the favor. He put up with her and never snapped or tried to leave her behind, though he had every right to. Perhaps it was also because he was the only person in this world who spoke to her at all and remembered her name. Who else could she grow closer to? He was an unusual kid, one that spoke of strange situations like people being broken, and he didn't seem to have emotions, but he was still just a kid. A kid thrown into a horrible situation he never asked for. Just like her. At the end of the day, all they had was each other.

Tatl looked on as Link, having already fallen asleep, winced in pain and discomfort. The only real changes in expression he ever wore was the steely look he put on for battle, and ones of pain. Neither really constituted as true emotions, at least Tatl imagined so, which meant she never saw him emote. Not once. No smiles, frowns, anger…what was wrong with him? Even when they cleared the Woodfall Temple for the first time, he didn't so much as crack a small grin of triumph. A part of Tatl had been, even at the start, very curious about Link's background. She knew he was from Hyrule and could piece some things together on her own, like his obvious combat experience…but that was it. Link himself hadn't revealed a single thing to her short of his name. Of course, she never asked nicely for information, always requesting it in a backhanded manner. Perhaps if she changed her tune, he'd be willing to talk…

With nothing to do, Tatl sat on the table and continued to think, eventually spacing out as her thoughts clouded. Several hours passed, and neither Hylian nor fairy stirred much. Around noon, there was a gentle knock on the door and Anju entered, a tray in her hands with some Cucco soup that Tatl knew would taste like poison to her. "Hey, Link, wake up." Tatl said directly into the boy's eardrum, causing him to stir.

Link creaked his eyes open as Tatl flew into his view. For a slight moment, he saw a flash of familiar blue. An old, precious name nearly escaped Link's lips before he realized who it really was, and he stilled his tongue. He then saw Anju with his meal, along with a new towel to place on his forehead, and sat up in bed. "Not so fast, now." The woman gently reminded Link. "How are you feeling?"

The temptation to tell Anju he was more than capable of sitting up was present in Link. He had gone through more taxing physical trials than she could ever imagine. This wasn't his first fever either. Link had been struck with fever twice in his life. The most intense was when he was about seven, and he had barely survived that ordeal. Thankfully Saria was there to aid him. The second time was when he stayed in the castle with Zelda, which was less intense, but the delusions he suffered were humiliating when he was told of them later. This fever was the most tolerable of the three. Aside from some momentary delusions and blurriness, Link was relatively okay. Rather than explaining any of this, Link simply nodded gently as he removed the old towel. "I'm okay. Thank you."

Tatl floated by silently as Anju placed the tray on Link's lap. "That's good to hear. This soup will help. Make sure to eat slowly, okay?" She watched as Link gently pulled the tray closer and picked up the spoon. There was hesitation, but Anju decided to talk further. "Are…your parents here in town?"

Link kept his eyes fixated on the soup, his hand clenching the spoon tightly. "Thank you for the soup." Was all he said in response, so quietly from his fever that Anju just barely heard him.

Another moment of hesitation, the woman gripping her skirt a bit in anxiousness. "Are they close by? Should I tell them you're here?" Surely this young boy had more than just a fairy looking after him…right?

"Thank you for the soup." Link repeated, but louder, looking up at Anju with a blank stare.

Getting the hint, Anju nodded solemnly. "I see. I hope you feel better." With that, she once again left the duo alone.

Tatl continued to float silently as she watched Link slowly eat his soup, occasionally getting a small sip of water from one of the bottles by his bed. That hadn't been the first time Anju asked Link about his parents, and it wouldn't be her last, Tatl predicted. Each time, the boy deflected the question, usually in a similar manner as he just did now. Sometimes he just outright pretended like she hadn't said anything.

The fairy decided to follow suit and pester Link with questions of her own. "Why don't you ever give Anju a straight answer? She's just being nice."

That actually took Link by surprise. He stopped his eating to look over at Tatl, not knowing what to make of her statement. There was that lack of sarcasm in the fairy's voice, like she actually cared about how Link was treating Anju. Maybe it was just a way to get under his skin. Yes, that had to be it. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters if I'm asking about it! Give me an answer, you brat!" Tatl snapped, almost feeling a bit bad as Link winced at her voice. Here she was, being sincere for once, and he just shut her down! Though, given her attitude in the past, she guessed he was under the impression she was mocking him. "Hey, I'm serious here! What about your parents, anyway? They're in Hyrule waiting for you, right?"

To that, Link gave no response, instead slowly downing the poorly cooked meal before him. Tatl didn't prod him further, simply looking on as the boy she was stuck with finished the soup and a bottle of water. Placing them both by the bed, Link put the new towel on his forehead as he lied back down. "Need more rest."

"Didn't you just wake up?" Tatl asked, floating above Link as he closed his eyes. Fairies didn't really get sick, not like humans did. The concept of a fever was completely foreign to Tatl. All she had recognized was that Link was sick when she awoke in the cave. It was Anju that let her know what exactly was wrong with him.

"I need a lot of rest." Link answered back, drifting off into an uneasy sleep before Tatl could think of a reply. Huffing a bit in frustration, the fairy let it go. Right now, the problem was what she was going to do to pass the time…

The day crawled by slowly, especially for Tatl. She didn't feel right about leaving Link when he was sick, so she didn't sneak out of the inn, opting to just stay in the Knife Chamber as he rested. Every so often, he'd wince or let out a small grunt of pain as he slept, his face screwing up a bit in discomfort. She couldn't help but feel bad for Link when his suffering shone through. In a way, it was almost fascinating to watch. He was never this expressive, even if it wasn't really emotions he was showing.

Tatl had to wonder if Link really had parents at all back in Hyrule. If she had to guess, she'd say no. No one got as messed up as Link with a healthy family life. Either he's an orphan, or he had terrible parents. Didn't matter, because the stubborn kid was keeping his mouth shut, and Tatl had the distinct feeling that wasn't gonna change in the near future.

Later on, Anju delivered dinner without a word, though smiled faintly when Link thanked her for the food. Tatl watched silently as Link ate, reapplied his towel, and went back to sleep. Before doing so, he told her she should go find food for herself since she refused to eat Anju's cooking. Thankfully there were some fruit stalls in Clock Town that she could quickly raid...

In the late evening, Tatl and Link slept in their respective beds in the Knife Chamber. Or, in Tatl's case, the pillow of the other bed served as her entire sleeping grounds. The fairy slept soundly as the boy in green groaned lightly in his sleep, his mind plagued by awful visions.

Link found himself in the Bottom of the Well once more, in a room all too familiar in his nightmares. The walls, floor, and ceiling adorned with the rotting old bones of countless souls, a disgusting crunching sound echoing in the silent room with each step. As the boy walked forward, a revolting shape erupted form the ground before him. His faithful companion sprang out from under his hat, yelling out in alarm and trying to analyze the opponent.

The creature before Link was a hulking, hunched figure that didn't belong in the world of the living. Pale skin stretched tight over the muscle and sinew of the creature splotched red all over. Gnashing, rotting teeth permanently barred as they grinded and clacked and awaited something to sink themselves into. Empty, black sockets that somehow gazed intently at the boy hovered above small arms that ended in useless stumps.

Before Link could do anything, a forest of hands erupted from the floor. Grabbing, rotting things with wiry limbs receding down into the dead earth beneath them. Two of them went for Link's legs and immobilized the child before he could do anything. Another went for Navi, trapping her in a cage of fingers as it started to sink into the ground. All Link could do was stand there, frozen in horror as the hand's wrist reached the ground and kept sinking. Navi was screaming, begging for salvation from her companion.

He simply watched as she was dragged underground.

Link awoke with a start, letting out a startled gasp and sitting upright, ignoring the pulses of pain that coursed through him as he moved his sickened body. Panting heavily, he immediately looked over to Tatl, the fairy still sound asleep on her pillow. She didn't see his mask crack. Good. Slowly and carefully, Link rose from the bed, walking near-silently towards the Knife Chamber's door, closing it gently behind him. He then quickly went out onto the inn's balcony, Anju always carelessly leaving the door unlocked.

The night was only mildly cool, though Link still shivered as he took small, silent steps to the railing, standing by the ancient, unused bell that was coated in dust. Link wasn't even entirely sure why he was out here. Fresh air, he supposed. Gripping the railing, he looked down at East Clock Town below him. It was the middle of the night, of course, so no one was out and about. The only soul he saw was the guard standing at his post. An empty, quiet down that slept beneath a hateful gaze. The young boy looked up to the Moon hovering above, glaring to the South as rainclouds slowly moved in above it. Link simply stood there, shivering in the light breeze as his sickness pulsed through him. Hopefully by the time the third night came about, he'd be all better.

"Link? Why are you out here?" A small voice chimed from behind. Link turned to see Tatl hovering there, silently awaiting an answer.

For a few moments, Link just stared at the light that hovered before him. A pale replacement for someone who had been so dear to him that her very absence would one day swallow him. In a way, he almost felt like Tatl was a mockery, sent by a malevolent force just to taunt him. "Fresh air."

Tatl watched as Link walked by her, not even sparing a glance as he reentered the inn, and then the Knife Chamber. Following the boy, she continued to watch as he nestled back into bed. "Link, are you okay?" She finally asked before the boy could go back to sleep.

With confused eyes, Link looked over at Tatl as she floated above him, looking down at the sick child. Why was she doing this? Her last two questions lacked any of the usual snark or belittling tones that usually came with the fairy's queries. She called him a brat earlier, but here she seemed to sincerely be worried for him. Things were much better, much simpler, when she was horrible to him. It'd make their inevitable, permanent, separation when Termina was saved far easier. That way he wouldn't be hurt when another fairy dropped him without a word. Link could easily be nasty right back to Tatl, make her despise him for good reason, but it just wasn't in his nature. He simply couldn't bring himself to be any worse than dismissive. "I'm fine." With that, he closed his eyes and ignored Tatl asking him if he was sure, if he was really alright. Soon, he was asleep. Not long after, giving up for the night, Tatl went to her pillow and followed suit.

It was nearly ten in the morning when Link awoke, the familiar sound of rain hitting the window pane striking his ears. He of course knew it was about ten because the room's clock told him so. It felt strange to be surprised at how many clocks there were in a place called Clock Town, yet Link couldn't help it. Back in Hyrule, clocks existed, but were not nearly as common, and they were far less elaborate than the ones in Termina. Here in this world, it seemed just about every room in every building within Clock Town had these machines present. It was as if the people of this world were obsessed with the notion of trapping time within wood and gears. Oh, if only it was so simple…

One other thing immediately obvious to Link was that his fever had gone down a bit overnight. The headache and muscle pains, while still present, had ebbed away slightly. He found his shivering lessening and his mind clearer as his body had cooled down just a bit. Indeed, the change must have been noticeable at a glance, as Tatl almost instantly piped up, flying over to Link as she watched him wake up. "Well, you're looking better." She commented, her voice far more neutral and less worried than the previous day.

Nodding slightly, Link sat up against his pillow. "Yes. I should be recovered by the next Cycle." He certainly hoped so at least. While he usually stayed within the Knife Chamber on his Break Cycles, it was another thing completely to be _forced_ to stay inside. With his illness, he couldn't even exercise and keep himself in shape for the quest ahead.

"Hopefully, yeah…" Tatl agreed, floating above Link. After a few moments, she descended so she was in his face. "So, hey, about last night…"

"There's nothing to talk about." Link interrupted bluntly.

"Why are you so hesitant to talk about it, then? If it's really nothing, at least let me finish my statement, you brat!" Tatl snapped, bristling at the stubbornness of the child before her.

Looking out the window, Link shook his head. "It's not important. It was nothing. Just fresh air."

Tatl had a pretty good hunch that Link was lying. She usually had a pretty good record for her hunches, and this one was no exception in her eyes. Still, she could ask all day and probably get no answer, so she dropped it. For now, at least.

Around noon, there was a knock on the door and a woman entered. Only, it wasn't Anju. Link knew that the innkeeper went out to the Laundry Pool at this time. The woman who came into the room was Anju's mother, a stone-faced individual that seemed to have little tolerance for just about anything she didn't like. In her hand was a plate with two apples cut into slices on it. "My, you're a handful, aren't you?" The older woman said, handing the plate to Link, who accepted with a slightly shaky hand.

"Not like he meant to get sick." Tatl said, almost a bit defensively. "Where is Anju, anyway?" She asked, remembering at the last second to play dumb. They weren't supposed to know Anju went out at this time.

"My daughter is out for a walk." The woman replied with hardly a glance at the fairy, opting to look down at Link instead. "Don't mistake my words for blame. In a way, it's almost been a good thing. She's been quite worried about you, you know." The woman went on, not even noticing the blank stare she was getting from Link. "She's still worrying over that deadbeat fiancé of hers, but this has been a nice distraction. In a way, I'm thankful."

Link…really wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. How should he feel about a situation like this? Partly guilt for making someone worry over someone like him, he supposed. Even if Anju won't remember a thing once the clock was reversed once more. "I see." Was all he said at first, a sort of default answer of his. "Thank you for the food."

That didn't seem to be the answer that Anju's mother had been expecting or wanting, but if that was the case, she didn't speak her mind. Instead, she gestured to the apples. "I don't cook myself these days, so you'll have to make do with these. Fruit is good for someone with a fever anyway. Eat, then rest." Without waiting for a response, the older woman left Link and Tatl alone once more.

"Nice lady." Tatl remarked, voice dripping with the ever-familiar sarcasm. She then flew onto one of the plates, looking at the juicy, red apple slices before her. "I can have one of these, right?"

"Yes." Link started eating himself, taking small bites as he went along. He knew it would be at least until tomorrow, maybe even tomorrow night, before he could move around again. Head back North. He'd be prepared next time. He wouldn't let this happen, never again. Link wondered if Tatl would go back to normal once he was recovered, looking down at her as she took microscopic bites out of the apple slice in front of her. He prayed that would be the case…

The day went by uneventfully, Tatl opting to ask a lot less questions than yesterday. Napping was how the duo spent just about the entire day, all the way until six in the evening, when Anju came up with more Cucco soup. "Looks like you're doing better." She noted, placing the tray on Link's lap. "Good to see that."

Nodding, Link picked up the spoon. "Yes. Thank you for everything. Thank you for the soup." He started to eat, noticing that Anju lingered in the room, seeming nervous about something. She didn't say anything, so Link stayed silent as well. Tatl even stayed quiet, not sure if she should speak up.

Soon enough, the soup was finished, and, after some sips of water, Link looked up at Anju expectantly. "Um, Link…" She started, sitting on the bed. "I'd like to talk to you about something important."

Important? It couldn't be about Kafei, could it? How could it be? Link had never mentioned the man this Cycle. Still, if there was even the slightest chance it could prove helpful later…he had to accept it. "Okay. Go on."

To Link's surprise and mild discomfort, Anju placed a hand on his shoulder, staring at him intently as Tatl watched from above. "Link, tomorrow…my mother, grandmother, and myself are going to evacuate to Romani Ranch at this time. We thought it best to extend this offer to our guests as well. Would you like to come with us?"

All Link could focus on at first was how Anju was touching at him, and how she was looking at him. Those eyes of her showed…pity. Pity for, what Anju saw, as a defenseless child who needed her aid. Did she not see his sword? His bow? The light scars that ran across his limbs? Did he truly look so pathetic that he warranted such a look from her? He _despised_ that gaze. That look that made him feel so completely worthless and small. A part of him wanted to smack her hand away, to tell her he didn't need her help, that he didn't _want_ her help.

But…he knew that wasn't even true.

Despite what Link may tell himself, he had enjoyed this light doting and caregiving that Anju and her mother had given him these past two days. Yes, it was mainly just bringing him food…but that still went out of their way to care for him, Anju especially. He had to wonder if this was what mothers were like. Saria was a sort of maternal substitute for him, but she could never fill the role for real. No one could. Only Link's true mother could do such a thing, and she was dead. At least, that's what Link was told. He had wondered if that was even true. Perhaps, even as a baby, his mother saw how worthless he was, how revolting and undeserving of her care he had been. So, she abandoned him in the woods, where a kind and ancient tree took him in out of pity. This unreasonable though resounded strongly within the boy, and in his head, it made perfect sense.

Link shivered, but he couldn't even tell if it was just from the fever anymore. No one had really touched him in a kind manner since he arrived in Termina. Tatl had landed on his shoulder or nestled in his hair, but that wasn't quite the same. All these thoughts were pushed aside as Link remembered he had to answer Anju's question. "…Yes. Thank you for the offer. I'll be ready to go at this time tomorrow."

Giving the boy a relieved smile, Anju patted the boy on the head slightly in a friendly, calming gesture. She simply wanted to ease the worries of what she saw as a helpless child. "Good, good. I'll let my mother know. I hope you'll be up for traveling by then." When Link didn't answer, her smile faltered a bit. Still, she said nothing, only taking Link's tray away and leaving.

The boy stared at the door long after Anju closed it, lost in thought. Not knowing how to process the feelings inside him. At the moment, he hated Anju with all his strength, but even then he knew it wasn't fair. She didn't do this on purpose. He didn't want to grow attached to her, to anyone in this cursed land. Not when no one would remember him once he played the Song of Time. All that remained was Tatl, who would surely abandon him without a word once his quest had ended. A part of him was also angry at himself. He would say out loud, if pushed, that he hated being doted on and pampered, even as little as he had been during this Cycle.

Yet, in his heart, he knew he wanted these things. Was it wrong to want to be doted? Strangely, he felt that was the case. He realized he didn't deserve to be treated so kindly by anyone. The friends he had in Hyrule, Anju here in Termina…their kindness was wasted on him. Despite this, he accepted these things because he was a disgusting, selfish brat. What had he done to be have a hot meal brought to his bed? Absolutely nothing. Anju owed him no such efforts, yet he took them anyway and it made him sick to his stomach.

Link's thoughts were interrupted as Tatl finally spoke up. "Link, you've been staring at that door for a few minutes now. What's your deal?"

His gaze turned to the fairy, who was now hovering by his head. His heart hammered against his ribcage, but his face gave nothing away save for the flush of sickness. "There's a ranch. Should we go in a future Cycle?"

"Why are you asking me? Doesn't seem like we'll ever need to!" Tatl responded, landing on Link's shoulder. "Not like we need a horse or anything."

Nodding, Link lied back down, causing Tatl to fly off of him. His mind wandered to Epona. Was she even still alive? He thought not, with the cruel things the Skull Kid had done, Link believed that the imp had killed off his horse. No, not even _his_ horse, really. "I see. I'm going to rest more. Goodnight." Couldn't think of those subjects. Not now.

"…Goodnight." Tatl responded as the boy closed his eyes. She went over to her pillow and settled down as well. Thank goodness tomorrow was the final day of this mess. At least, she hoped so.

Indeed, the next day showed big improvements for Link. His aches were almost all gone, his shaking barely present, and his temperature was just about normal. The day also passed by without much incident either. Anju brought him lunch and reminded him of their evacuation later that evening, and Tatl didn't bother Link with any big questions.

Around five, Link rose from the bed and gathered all his things. He was feeling even better than he had that morning, but…still not at full strength. "I may need a bit more rest the next Cycle." He said, putting his hat back on.

"You really think so?" Tatl asked, sitting on the table. "You look pretty okay to me."

No condescending remark…no scolding for time wasting. Even now, Tatl was going easy on Link, and that unnerved him. Could she really be…no. No, what wasn't possible. Surely not. Right? Right. "Just until the second day. Maybe even a bit earlier." He remarked, making sure he had everything with him. "We'll need to prepare first. Gather equipment. Are you ready?"

"Ready." Tatl replied as Link raised his Ocarina to his lips. The familiar, almost haunting Song of Time rang through the cracks and boards of the inn, and time went backwards once more.

This Cycle, Link prepared himself. Taking things slow and easy, he went about Clock Town looking for supplies he'd need. Plenty of arrows and bombs, that was a given. After that, while he couldn't find winter gear precisely, he instead opted for plenty of regular clothes that he'd have to lair himself up with to fight against the cold. Plain, no-cooking-required food was next, and finally some logs to use for fires.

When this was all done, the last thing to do was to go and rest. Checking into the Stock Pot Inn once more, Link and Tatl slept until the late night. It was around three in the morning when the two went through North Clock Town once again. At this point, Link was essentially back to normal. No more aches, no more pains, and his temperature was right where it should be. All that was really left was a vague exhaustion, but that was so present in him normally that he barely noticed.

"You sure we should be going at night? It'll be colder now!" The fairy pointed out as they neared the guard blocking their way.

"Yes. But only three hours until morning. I can handle that." Link said as he showed off his sword and was granted permission to leave Clock Town.

"You said you could handle it last time!" Tatl pointed out, halting Link as she hovered in front of his face. "And then you got sick!"

"I'm prepared this time." Link argued, walking past the fairy. "No Tektite meat this time either." He, like Tatl, had no idea if that's what truly caused his sickness, but better safe than sorry.

Tatl thought it over and nodded. Not the best scenario, but it seemed Link really wanted to get moving. The kid was tough, she couldn't deny that. Three hours in the night and he'd be fine, right? She'd seen him pull off more incredible feats in Woodfall, after all. "I guess that-" Tatl was interrupted as the two stepped into Termina Field proper, and piercing song invaded their eardrums. "Gah! What is that?!" She demanded, looking around.

Link looked around to, trying not to let the sound get to him. He finally spotted a lone figure who seemed to be dancing on one of the giant mushroom-like rocks. "There. There's someone there. We should see what's going on." His curiosity allowing Link to take this small detour, Link headed towards the figure.

Following close, Tatl crossed her arms. "Really should be hurrying, you know…" The fairy grumbled to herself as they went onward. She couldn't find the inner hatred to be angry, not truly angry as she usually would be. The fairy hated to admit it but…she was warming up to the kid. She simply couldn't stop herself. He didn't get her into this mess, in fact he was the only thing that could get her out. A small part of her wondered if the two could end up friends. Link seemed like a brick wall at times but with the way Tatl had treated him in the past, she could hardly blame him. It was something that maybe she could work on as time went. She'd never admit to it out loud but…it'd be nice, making a new friend with this kid. Right now, though, a new thought invaded her mind…

Was that awful, eerie music getting louder…?


End file.
